Paper drier



1,614,694 1927 c. w. SHARTLE ET AL PAPER DRIER Filed August 31, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fNVEN TOR Jan. 18 1927. 4,694

C. W. SHARTLE ET AL PAPER DRIER Filed August 31. 1,925 2 Shows-Sheet 2 .8 TEX). 7

1N VEN TOR Patented Jan. 18, 192?.

UNITED ST'ATE 5 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES "W. SHABTLE AND ADAM E. BRIDGE, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE SHARTLE BROTHERS MACHINE COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO.

PAPER DRIER.

Application filed August 81, .1825. Serial No. 58,814.

Thisinvention relates to paper driers.

The main object attained in the invention is a drying apparatus adapted to receive the web from a paper-forming machine, as a Fourdrinier machine, and in which the drying process will be facilitated by passing of the web' in a serpentine path over a plurality of sets of drier rollsor cylinders arranged in units and in series, with the opposite sets of rolls of a unit inclined at an angle one to another, with open spaces interposed between sets of a unit and between adjacent units to facilitate the drying process,the

rolls of each set of the apparatus being entrained one With another and driven from a common shaft, the apparatus as a whole being supported in a suitable frame which serves to coordinate all the units in series in a unitary machine. 7

An object attained in the angular arrangement of the drier rolls and the wide open spaces which are thus; formed between the ascending and descending planes of travel of the web consists in the more effective and greater volume of air circulation over the paper which the arrangement makes possible, with the result that the process of drying is facilitated.

In the showing of the invention here made, the well known means of forced circulation of air over the paper by means of various forms of air blower and suction systems are omitted as the same do not constitute part of the invention, but it will be understood that in the practice of the invention it is contemplated to use, when desired, any suitable form of forced air circulation as may best suit conditions of operation. v

A further object attained in the improved drier consists in the arrangement of the means provided to enable the attendants of the machine to follow the course of the web over the drier rolls, thus to be abie to'guide the web to better advantage in its threading movement over and under the rolls when the web is put on the machine.

in the vertical type of driers, as distinguished from the angular or inclined drier 9 of present invention vertical ladders are generally used which requires the attendan't, when puttm the paper on the machine, to support himself on the ladder with one hand leaving the other hand free to guide the paper. With the inclined arrangement of the drier frame and rolls, as herein set vforth, an arrangement of steps along the course of the web is provided to enable the attendants to ascend and descend the apparatus with both hands free, being thus able to follow the course of the web and direct the web in its serpentine path over the drier rolls with greater ease and less danger of mishap than is possible on machines upon which the attendant works from a vertical ladder with onl'yone hand free to guide the web.

The importance of the improved means provided in our invention for the attendants of the machine, to follow the ascending and descendin course of the web over the drier rolls will e apparent when it is understood that the threading of the web is done with the drier rolls in motion, that practiced skill in the work is necessary and that the ladders from which the attendants work become heated from the drier rolls, which are usually steam-heated, thus adding further discomfort and difiiculty to the work. With steps provided which enable the attendant to guide, the web at any point along its course with both hands free and out of contact with all heated parts of the apparatus, the discomfort and danger to the attendants and V,

wet web is put on the machine, as herein set forth, we believe is new in this art, and the combination of the arrangement is accordingly claimed as a feature of the invention.

The apparatus, as a whole, is more compact and stands higher than paper driers of the ordinary construction, i. e., paper driers arranged in an extended horizontal plane. Thus the improved apparatus is confined to less floor space and, because of its height and the open space between the series of drier rolls, a greater volume of air is caused to circulate over both surfaces of the paper as of equal it travels through its winding path over the ap aratus.

j n the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two adjacent units of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the gearing for driving the drier rolls;

Figs. 3 is a broken plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail of a drier roll.

As shown in Fig. 1, each unit of the apparatus consists of an A-shaped framestructure in which is supported, in each of the opposite frame members 1 thereof, a double series of drier rolls 2 comprising a set and arranged in planes parallelone with another and inclined to the vertical with the rolls of the opposite series alternated one with another in parallel horizontal planes, the rolls ofthe opposite sets being inclined,

as a result of the A-shaped structures, one

toward the other upwardly, thus forming open spaces between units and similar spaces between the opposite series of rolls for the action of the air on the paper.

- As illustrated in Fig. 2, the drier rolls are gear-entrained one with another by means gears 3, the drivingaction being alternated from one roll to another of the coacting series with the result that all the rolls of one series will be rotated in clockwise direction and all the rolls of the opposite series will be rotated in counter-clockwise direction and the paper web 4, traversing the rolls in their alternate arrangement, will move in a serpentine path from the lowest to the highest roll of one set and thence to the highest roll and from the highest to the lowest roll of the adjacent set of the unit.

Operating movement is transmitted to each set of rolls by means of a gear 5 connected to a source of power (not shown) by means of shafts 6.

A double series of steps 7 and hand rails 8 arranged in upper and lower planes along each set of drier rolls, following the course of the paper, enable the attendants of the machine to follow and direct the movement of the web along its entire course with both hands free to guide the web in its'ascending and descending threading movement over and under the drier rolls.

From the arrangement of the rollers of each unit of the apparatus one with respectto another and also the relation of one unit to another, it will be observed that rel atively large areas A occur between the rollers of each unit and similar spaces B between adjacent units. The air, which is usually artificially heated, acts on both sides of the paper in these spaces with the result that the drying process will be rapid and large production will be obtained from a relatively small machine; also, the variations of temperatures in the lower and higher elevations of the apparatus, the motion of the paper web and confining of theair to some extent in the spaces A and B, act more or less to cause air currents which pass over the surface of the pa er and thus further facilitate the drying o the paper.

The open spaces A and B are of further advantage with respect to the convenient.

and eflective observation of the paper which is thus afforded along the entire apparatus and also the convenient accessability afforded to all parts of the mechanism.

Having described our invention, we claim: 1. A paper drier including in combination, a plurality of sets of drier rolls arranged in planes inclined upwardly one toward the other comprising a unitary structure, an air area being formed within the angle of said structure, each set comprising opposite series of rolls arranged in planes parallel one to the other, the'r'olls of one series being operable in a direction opposite to that of the rolls of the other series,

whereby a web of paper is adapted to traverse the rolls of said structure in a serpenadapted to traverse the rolls of said structure in a serpentine path contiguous to said area.

3. A paper drier including in combination, a plurality of units-of paper drier rolls arranged in tandem formation, each unit comprising a plurality of sets of said rolls arranged in planes inclined upwardly one toward another, thus forming air areas within each unitary structure and between said units, each set comprising opposite series of rolls arranged in planes parallel one to the other. the rolls ofone series being operable in a direction opposite to that of the rolls of the other series, whereby a web of paper is adapted to traverse the rolls of said structure in a serpentine path contiguous to said areas.

4. A paper. drier including in combination, a plurality of units of paper drier rolls arranged in tandem formation, each unit comprising a plurality of sets of said rolls arranged in planes inclined upwardly one toward another, thus forming air areas within each unitary structure and between said units, each set comprising opposite series of rolls arranged in planes parallel one to the other, the rolls of one series being operable in a direction opposite to that of the rolls of the other series, whereby a web of paper is adapted to traverse the rolls of said structure in a serpentine path contiguous tosaid areas, said web of paper defining said angular area at the sides and top within each unitary structure and at the sides and bottom between said units.

5. A paper drier including in combination, a plurality of units of paper drierrolls supported in A-shaped structures and arranged in tandem formation one unit relative to another, thus forming air areas within and between the units, each unit comprising a plurality of sets of drier rolls, each set comprising opposite series of rolls arranged in planes parallel one to the other, the rolls of one series being operable in a direction opposite to that of the rolls of the other series, whereby a web of aper is adapted to traverse the rolls of said structure in a serpentine path contiguous to said areas.

6. A paper drier includingin combination, a plurality of sets of drier rolls arranged in planes inclined to the vertical whereby the course of the paper over the rolls is in an ascending and descending serpentine path and means provided to enable an attendant to ascend and descend the apparatus along the course of the aper, with both hands free to direct the lea the web in a threading movement over and under the drier rolls on the machine.

7. A paper drier including in combination, a plurality of sets of drier rolls arranged in planes inclined to the vertical whereby the course of the paper over the rolls is in an ascending and descending serpentine path and means rovided in u per and lower planes to ena le the atten ants to ascend and descend the apparatus, following the course of the paper, with both hands free to direct the leading end of the web in a threading movement over and under the drier rolls as the wet paper is put on the machine.

In testimon whereof, we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES W. SHARTLE. ADAM E. BRIDGE as the wet web is put ing and of 

